Photographer's Note

There are those special moments when one feels good, alive and the sun is warm, the light beautiful, nature restful and the human presence achingly sweet like the flight of a butterfly. Plus visiting a place of one's youth after decades of absence makes each view familiar and estranged at the same time and one wonders what life would have been like had one remained in a place and not forged a life elsewhere.

The photo was taken by Lake Wendouree. I used to ride my bicycle around the lake as a teenager. My college ran the yearly cross country race around the lake and on Sundays my family attended mass in a small church by the lake.

I drove to Ballarat, the town where I spent my teenage years, for the annual begonia festival about which I wrote two years ago and posted a few photos. This year it was even bigger and better with live music, displays of various flowers and expert advice about propagation, even a plant creche for those who bought potted flowers and needed to keep them safe for a while before heading home.

I liked very much your reminiscences accompanying this well composed shot. There is a sense of mystery in the photo, with the young lady strolling bye in the shadows. I see that you lived your teenage years in Australia, but how old were you when you first emigrated from Croatia? I know I had similar experiences visiting the areas of my youth (Ankara, London) after absences of decades. The scale of walls and buildings certainly change. A wall that I used to kick a soccer ball against in London in my youth, and that had seemed 2-3 times as tall as I, had contracted to only 6-8 feet.

It seems like the lake has many aspects of connection with you. I enjoy reading your note. Besides the personal affection, the lake is really beautiful. The day you took this picture was pleasant enough. Thanks for sharing your picture and story.

Hello Klaudio,
Your note made me wonder at what age you left the country of birth, but I see you have already told Bülent. Although this is of course not at all sentimental to me I can well understand your feelings - generally and to this plce. There is a very pleasant atmosphere by the lake, where the man has left his bike by the red bench and is now hoping for a good catch while the swans are swimming calmly further back. It would have been a good composition in any case, but the young woman passing by certainly adds an important element, not just by filling the foreground.
Unfortunately, when I returned to my home village for the first time in 35 years I was just greatly relieved that I got out of there in time. There was very little nostalgia in seeing a countryside far from greater cities, forgotten by time and development.
Kind regards,
Gert

Hello Klaudio,
the man fishing in the lake surrounded by those black swans does give the image a nice tranquil feel whilst the young lady in summer clothes strolls serenely by,a lovely reminder of Victoria in Summer for me.
Hopefully we shall be able to revisit Wang later in the year.
Best regards Les.

A bike is a formidable transport, you can come everywhere, and find almost always a nice image as this.
A nice daily life picture with the fisherman and the young lady.
An interesting image of a nice place with good sharpness, depth and quality
Very well composition, TFS.

Hello Klaudio
Charming and peaceful scene. Can't be sure if it's rural or a park: I suspect the latter. But the girl and the fisherman, his bike and the black swans beyond are beautifully framed. The red bars of the bench seem pretty important as well...
Regards
Will

Hello Klaudio ,
What an excellent composition ! Almost cinematograhic . The framing and the light control are perfect . I like the contrasts and the vivid colors , too .
And seeing this scene , we can imagine a story ...
Regards